Cortical Visual Prosthesis

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016331968-A1
Application number	US-201615154757-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 13, 2016
Priority date	May 13, 2015
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention consists of an implantable device with a hermetic electronics package that houses electronics. The hermetic package is attached to a flexible circuit electrode array having its electrodes arranged in a trapezoidal electrode array field that is suitable to stimulate the visual cortex. The hermetic electronics package is provided with a fixation structure that secures, protects and dissipates heat from the electronics package. The entire implantable device can be entirely implanted within the head.

First claim

What we claim is:

1 . An implantable device comprising:
a hermetic package enclosing an electronic circuit suitable to implanted within a head; a flexible circuit including a plurality of electrodes electrically coupled to the electronic circuit suitable to contact the visual cortex; and a wireless transceiver electrically coupled to the electronic circuit for receiving data from a transceiver external to the body that determines the simulation pattern and strength for each electrode.

2 . The implantable device according to claim 1 , with further comprising a transmitter suitable to send data such as electrode impedance and implant self-diagnostics wirelessly to a transceiver external to the body.

3 . The implantable device according to claim 1 , further comprising a transmitter suitable to send data derived from neural activity at the electrodes wirelessly to a transceiver external to the body.

4 . The implantable device according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible circuit includes electrodes arranged in a trapezoidal shape.

5 . The implantable device according to claim 1 , further comprising a mounting fixture enclosing the hermetic package and defining voids suitable to attach the mounting fixture to a skull.

6 . The implantable device according to claim 5 , further defining voids suitable to accept screws for attaching the mounting fixture to a skull.

7 . The implantable device according to claim 1 , further comprising a coil for sending and/or receiving data.

8 . The implantable device according to claim 7 , wherein the coil is on an opposite side of the hermetic package from the flexible circuit.

9 . The implantable device according to claim 7 , wherein the coil is positioned on hermetic package 90 degrees from the flexible circuit.

10 . The implantable device according to claim 1 , wherein the electrodes on the flexible circuit comprising a plurality of common sub-electrodes.

11 . The implantable device according in to claim 10 , further comprising at least one electrode that is within a field of sub-electrodes, but not common to the sub-electrodes.

12 . The implantable device according to claim 10 , further comprising groups of sub-electrodes that are separately controllable.

13 . The implantable device according to claim 5 , further comprising a cover plate suitable to protect the hermetic package from impact.

14 . The implantable device according to claim 10 , when the sub-electrodes protrude slightly from the surface of the electrode array and are suitable to protrude into the cortical tissue.

15 . The implantable device according to claim 1 , when the electrodes protrude slightly from the surface of the electrode array and are suitable to protrude into the cortical tissue.

Assignees

• Second Sight Medical Products Inc

Inventors

• Greenberg Robert J
• Talbot Neil
• Datta Proyag
• Tobey Dustin
• Zhou Dao Min
• Dorn Jessy

Classifications

• A61N1/3606 Primary

  adapted for a particular treatment · CPC title

• A61N1/36135

  using physiological parameters · CPC title

• A61N1/3758

  Packaging of the components within the casing · CPC title

• A61N1/0531

  Brain cortex electrodes · CPC title

• A61N1/37217

  characterised by the communication link, e.g. acoustic or tactile · CPC title